


call it magic

by downhillnow



Series: both sides now-verse [3]
Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Family Fluff, Halloween, Kid Fic, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-15 21:08:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21259676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/downhillnow/pseuds/downhillnow
Summary: "I call it magic when I’m with you.”Halloween a few years into the future. A ‘both sides now’ companion piece.





	call it magic

**Author's Note:**

> A short one shot that's basically just shameless fluff. I haven't had anyone look over this, so all mistakes are my own. Happy Halloween - I hope you like it!

“Therese, what did you do?” 

Her question alerted the bathroom’s occupants of her presence and two pair of eyes swung around to look at her. Carol stood in the doorway of their bathroom surveying the tornado that had seemingly swept through what used to be her en-suite bathroom. The countertop was littered with costume makeup in bright colours, some of which seemed to have ended up on her daughter’s face. 

“Why is Bea’s face orange?” The only answer Carol got was Bea shouting, “trick or treat, mommy!” She looked so proud of herself before she looked to Therese for approval and got a nod indicating she had said it correctly. She hadn’t quite mastered pronouncing her r’s yet, but the intention was there. 

“What happened to the zebra costume I bought?” Carol had gone to three stores before finally locating the costume Bea had wanted so she could dress up as her favourite animal, but it seemed like the idea had been scrapped, much to Carol’s dismay. “She told me she wanted to be a pumpkin this morning, so I picked up this one on the way home.” Therese only gave her a shrug like it wasn’t a big deal, and Carol rolled her eyes at how she spoiled their youngest. 

“Imma pumpkin,” Bea piped up from where she was sitting on the counter in front of Therese. She had to admit that no matter how cute she’d thought the zebra costume was, the sight of Bea in the pumpkin suit and matching hood that was laid out would be adorable as well. “I can see that, baby,” Carol laughed and pressed a smacking kiss to Bea’s cheek, not caring about the orange makeup that now probably adorned her lips. 

“Anyway, we knew you were working late, so we were getting ready so we could head out when you got here,” Therese explained as she fixed the damage to the makeup on Bea’s face that Carol had caused. “Rindy is just getting her costume on, if you want to go see how she’s doing.” Carol’s face lit up at the words as she was pretty excited about Rindy’s costume this year. She slipped out of the bathroom and made her way down the hall to her oldest daughter’s room. 

A few months after Bea had been born, Carol and Rindy had started reading the Harry Potter books together as a special thing just for the two of them to do together. Carol had read the books herself in her early twenties, and had wanted to pass her love for them on to her daughter. She had been ecstatic when Rindy had enjoyed them as much as she did, so when Rindy asked to dress up as Hermione for Halloween, Carol had been all for it. 

“Hey, honey.” Rindy looked up from where she was struggling with the tie in the Gryffindor colours she and Carol had picked out the previous weekend. “Need some help?” Carol asked. “Yeah, I can’t figure this out,” Rindy replied with a huff. She had such an independent streak that getting her to accept help for anything could be a struggle, so Carol was happy the offered help was welcomed, and effortlessly tied a knot. 

“There, now you’re ready.” The uniform and robes billowed out as Rindy twirled to show off her costume. Therese had even curled her hair and brushed it out in an attempt to recreate the bushy hair Hermione had in the books, and she had done a surprisingly good job of it. “You look great, Rindy, just like you’re off to Hogwarts,” Carol said as she stepped back to admire Rindy in her costume. “Mom,” Rindy groaned at Carol’s prolonged attention on her. Carol knew that she secretly liked it, but again with the independent streak, it wasn’t easily accepted. She laughed at Rindy, and just told her to get her stuff so they could go. 

Therese and Bea met them in the hallway, and it was only then Carol realised that Therese and herself didn’t have a costume. In the busyness of the weeks leading up to the holiday it had slipped both of their minds. It looked like Therese came to the realisation at the same time, but Carol only gave her a ‘oh well’ look and said, “next year”. 

Bea was getting impatient at how long it was taking them to get out the door, and was pulling at Therese’s hand to get them to move quicker. “Candy, mama!” Bea was insistent and Therese let herself be dragged along. Carol grabbed Rindy’s hand and jokingly dragged her along in a similar way.

When they all were ready to go, Therese stopped abruptly. “Wait, I wanted pictures of you guys in your costumes before we left!” It was a lost cause, and Therese just sighed and slung her camera over her shoulder in resignation. Carol only smirked and repeated her earlier words. 

“Next year.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for my absence, back to 'tiny infinity' after this. 
> 
> As always I love hearing your thoughts.


End file.
